Eugenia uniflora - Cayenne cherry, Surinam cherry

Eugenia uniflora, the Cayenne Cherry, is remarkable for its bright red, decorative and edible fruit. This tropical, spreading bush is adorned with glossy evergreen foliage, beautifully contrasted by reddish young shoots. Its white, fragrant and nectar-rich flowering is followed by bright red, decorative fruits, which turn almost black when ripe. Besides their ornamental appeal, they are appetising and rich in vitamins. It is very sensitive to cold and can only withstand winter in the mildest areas. Elsewhere, it can be grown in a large container to be stored in a conservatory or frost-free greenhouse.

Eugenia is a member of the Myrtaceae family, which includes around 3000 species, including the countless Eucalyptus from Australia. Less well known in our latitudes, the Eugenia genus nonetheless exceeds 1000 recorded species worldwide, in tropical and subtropical regions. 
The Cayenne Cherry, or Eugenia uniflora, is native to a wide area ranging from Suriname and French Guiana to southern Brazil, extending into Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. It has long been introduced to the rest of tropical America, Africa, Southeast Asia, the United States and more recently the Mediterranean region. In its natural habitats, it forms a large bush or small tree of 5 to 7 m in height, growing along waterways and on forest edges. Its trunk features a highly ornamental bark, which peels, creating a beige, grey and greenish-grey palette. In the northern hemisphere, it typically flowers between July and September and its fruits are harvested between October and December.
Planting outside must be limited to the mildest areas as it can only tolerate brief frosts down to -2°C without damage, losing its leaves afterwards, then dying around -4°C. Under good conditions, it will form a bush of 3 to 4 m in height with a spread of 3 m or more. Its habit is most often quite upright before spreading out into an umbrella shape, reaching a width almost comparable to its height without pruning. The foliage consists of small, glossy, bright, vibrant green, ovate to elliptical leaves, measuring about 4-6 cm long by 3 cm wide and aromatic when crushed. When they emerge, the young leaves have a beautiful red hue that turns bronze before becoming green. In May-June, the flowering appears, sometimes stretching until the end of summer. The bush produces small, white, pleasantly fragrant flowers, composed of 4 rounded petals and about fifty protruding stamens. The flowers measure only 1 cm to 1.5 cm in diameter and are solitary or grouped in twos or threes. While the flowering is not particularly spectacular, it is nectar-rich and full of pollen, beneficial to bees and butterflies that come to forage. In autumn, they are followed by globose fruits, which have 8 ribs and measure 2 to 3 cm in diameter, sometimes slightly more. As they ripen, they transition from an orange-red to a bright, shiny red, very attractive and truly decorative, eventually becoming crimson and almost black. They are edible, revealing a juicy texture and a taste ranging from sweet-sour to tangy. Very rich in vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and potassium, they can be eaten raw or juiced, and you can also make jams from them. And if you don't consume them, rest assured that the birds will take care of them as soon as they fall to the ground!

Eugenia uniflora is a very interesting conservatory plant all year round. Thanks to its good tolerance to pruning, you can grow it in a container for a long time and keep it to reasonable proportions, which will be essential for moving it in winter. If you have a small winter greenhouse or a frost-free conservatory, you can pair it with citrus trees grown in the same way, which will also delight you with their fruits in autumn or winter. Their yellow or orange colour will complement the red of the Cayenne cherries to create a joyful scene. To extend the pleasure, give in to the temptation of mimosa by adopting Acacia pravissima 'Lemon Twist', a horticultural variety compact enough to be kept in a container, with decorative foliage and abundant lemon-yellow flowering in March-April.